Are you ready to talk contraception?

Birth Control has come a long way since “the pill” became available more than 65 years ago. With advancements in medicine, contraception has more options to fit an individual’s biology, lifestyle, and purpose for using it. For parents of young people first looking into birth control – whether to support period health, address acne, prevent pregnancy, or all of the above – it can be overwhelming to the point of avoiding the topic altogether. 

Research confirms that young people want to talk to their parents about their reproductive health. Where can a parent turn to feel prepared to support their developing teen? 

Get Ready!

Meet ArkansasBirthControl.org (ABC). This new site was developed to help new users of contraception understand what their choices are, and how well each method can help reach their personal goals. It also provides important information about preventing pregnancies and STIs, busts common myths about sex and pregnancy, and links to information about clinics in Arkansas to access reproductive care. 

With so much information available to young people, it’s more important than ever to point them to information they can trust. Content that isn’t trying to go viral or based on opinions, but up-to-date, medically accurate information to support responsible decision-making. 

The site promises to make contraception as easy as ABC – and they deliver with expandable overviews of methods from A (abstinence) to W (withdrawal). Or in this example, 100% STI and pregnancy prevention to 0% STI and only about 80% pregnancy prevention. With this kind of knowledge, if a friend or partner tells a young person that withdrawal comes with 0% pregnancy risk, they can push back with the truth. 

“Withdrawal” or pulling out can lower the chance of pregnancy, but it is risky. About 1 in 5 people who rely on it may get pregnant in a year. It does not protect against STIs, so condoms or other barriers are still important.

Let’s be real: contraception doesn’t make a young person start having sex younger or take more sexual risks. Instead, it prepares them to make proactive choices to protect their sexual health when they are ready. Educating your teen about contraception is an investment in their long-term health and well-being – and ABC really does make it as easy as… you get the idea. 

Share ABC with your friends and the young people in your life to start the conversation, and keep it going by following their Instagram and TikTok.